One of the least pleasant decisions you may have to make as a business owner revolves around your data. Yes, every company has data – from the fast food joint to the accountant to the custom software developer. For every new client or new product, you can count on more and more data that you need to deal with – and quickly! But what should you do? It seems like the decision would be a lot easier if you were a Fortune 500 company who could afford Oracle, but like most companies, you probably are not ready for such a solution.

When choosing a database system, you’re not just choosing a database, but a database management system. While there are many viable options, if you’re a small to mid-sized company, your best option may be MS SQL and its MS SQL Server database administrator with respect to price, ease of installation, and size. Microsoft’s SQL Server is a wonderful contender for companies that aren’t quite ready to go big league players, such as IBM or Oracle, with their database needs. SQL Server provides airtight security controls that are flexible enough for you to maintain full control of your data environment.

Do you need more reasons to go with MS SQL Server for your database and administration needs? Here are just a few: Database mirroring allows you to guarantee continually uptime by allowing an automatic failover to another machine should the server go down. From a developer’s perspective, you can program with web services within the database tier, which means that SQL Server can act as an HTTP listener. If you’re interested in taking advantage of business intelligence features available with MS SQL Server, a number of data mining tools are available so that you can establish patterns and rules within your data.

It’s also a database that most developers are familiar with due to its popularity in the IT industry among users and decision makers. However, don’t think that because it’s not DB2 or Oracle that it’s a walk in the park. It’s true the SQL Server enjoys a reputation as a relatively easy installation, especially compared to other databases and management systems. But SQL Server still requires the oversight of experienced engineers if you want to guarantee a smooth transition to SQL server. If you’re already using SQL Server, maybe it’s time to rethink your configuration and make sure that your server structure is working for you instead of making you work for it. Don’t put your productivity into untested hands; make sure you work with high-quality consultants who can guarantee you both a price and a solution. ClickEx.net can help you with both your installation and configuration (including server consolidation); even if you’ve been using SQL Server for a while, we can study your configuration and make sure you’re as efficient as possible and not sprawling across your corporate infrastructure due to too many servers.

ClickEx.net provides competent, professional services with no hassle pricing, which means that you get exactly what you ordered at the price you agreed – no hidden or last-minute fees. ClickEx.net is an old pro at installing and configuring SQL Server for small to mid-sized companies.